Holder for knives or the like



A rii 15, 1941. H. H. HOPKINS HOLDER FOR KNIVES OR THE LIKE Filed Feb; 9, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m5 T N m P Hm L h m Du D H April 15; 1941. H. H. HOPKINS f 2,233,324

HGLDER FOR KNIVES QR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 9, 1940 2 5heets-$haot 2 INVENTOR.

I BHUENEE H. HUPKINE ATTORNE -Patented Apr. 15, 1941 'nomna FOR 2,238,324 moves on THE LIKE Homer H. Hopkins, Des Moines, Iowa Application February 9, 1940, Serial" No. 318,083

6' Claims.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a holder for knives or the like that protects the sharpened edge of a knife blade so that it will remain in a sharpened condition and which will prevent possible injury to a person by virtue of the complete encasing of the blade.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a holder for knives or the like wherein a plurality of knives may be readily disposed therein and easily removed therefrom. i

A still'further object of this invention is to provide a holder for knives or the like which is economical in manufacture and refined in appearance.

These and other objects will be apparent to.

those skilled in the art.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of my knife holder ready for use. Fig. 2 is a side cross sectional view of my holder for knives or the like taken on the lin 2-2 of In previous knife holders, there have been a number of drawbacks. These holders, in a number of cases, exposed the blades, thereby giving rise to a chance injury to both the knives themselves and to the users. In others, the knife blades come in contact with each other, causing them to become dull and nicked. Also, where a plurality of knives are reposed in a single rack,- it is most difficult to get the right knife without pulling out a number of them to determine which is the right one. Furthermore these previous types of knife holders have not been refined in appearance and did not have the neatness required for the prominent display of such an item at a handy location. I have overcome such objections as will be appreciated and as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

Referring to the drawings, I have used the numeral it to designate the back plate or base portion of 'my device. This back plate may be of any ornamental shape and has punched in its upper end portion a hole II to facilitate the se curement of the plate It) to a wall'or like. The numerals l2 indicate a plurality of slots cut through the base portion l0 adjacent its side marginal edges and whose function will hereinafter he described. I have used the numeral II to indicate a ridge formed in the base member Ill and extending transversely to its longitudinal length. The numeral It indicates a similar ridge spaced apart from and parallel to the ridge i3. I have used the numeral IE to indicate the forward portion of the housing of the device, having formed therein the'transverse ridges I6 and II as shown in the drawings. The numerals i8 indicate a plurality of tabs formed along the side .marginal edges of the cover or housing l5 as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. When assembling thedevice, the plate or housing I5 is curved on the radius of an are so that the tabs ill will project through the slots l2 after which the tabs I8 are clinched on the back side of the plate or base l0 as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The numeral l9 indicates a strip of fiber, cardboard, or like material which is placed inside of .the housing l5 resting on the ridge I1 and extending to the approximate top of the plate I5 as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The numeral 20 indicates a block member constructed of wood or other/material having cut therethrough a plurality of radially extending slots 2| of varying depths as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. This block of wood or top plate 20 is semi-circular in plane and may be inserted into the opening provided at the upper end of the housing IS. The block will then rest on the ridge I6 and between the ridges l3 and M. The numeral 22 indicates a top portion or cap strip formed on the top of the plate l5, and, once the block 20 is in place, this strip 22 is bent over the top of the block to form a bead or like for securing the block 20 in position within the knife holder. Cut in this bead or can strip 22 are aplurality of notches 28 which are designedto coincidevwith the end of each of the slots 2i, thereby exposing the cardboard or fibrous material l9 to the edge of the knife inserted within the slots 2|, preventing the blade of the knife from coming in contact with any hard material. The position of the knife within the holder is shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2 and designated by the numeral 24.

The practical operation of my device is as follows:

The holder is assembled as herebefore explained and placed at a convenient point-in the kitchen or like. The knives having a blade width corresponding to the depth of the slot 2| are then inserted in the proper slots 2i and the sharpened edges may extend either forwardly or rearwardly. If the blade extends forwardly as is generally the case, the sharpened edge can come in contact with nothing except the fibrous sheet l9 and regardless of the position, the knife will never come in contact with a metallic surface. The knives are spaced apart and are in a handy position. They may be removed readily and reinserted in the slots 2| without difliculty.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a holder for knives or the like which fulfills all of my objects and presents many more obvious advantages. It is obvious that the portion 20 may be constructed of any suitable material such as plastic or the like, and is easily constructed, durable in use, and presents a neat attractive appearance.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my improved holder for knives or the like without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, audit is my intention to cover by my claims any modifled forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a base portion, a housing secured to the forward face of said base portion, a block member in the upper end of said housing, a plurality of radially extending slots cut in said block member and designed to receive a knife or the like, and a resilient fibrous member inside said housing adjacent the open end of each of said slots.

2. In a device of the class described, a base member, a curved semi-circular housing having its two side marginal edges secured to said base member, a block member in the upper end of said housing securing the opening provided by said base member and said curved housing, a plurality of radially extending slots in said block member designed to receive a knife or the like and a means for securing said block member in position in said housing when said housing is secured to said base member.

3. In a device of the class described, a base portion, a face portion having its side marginal edges secured to said base member forming a semi-circular compartment between said base member and said face portion, a. block element in the upper end of said compartment, ridges formed in said face portion and in said base portion for holding said block element in position, and a plurality of radially extending slots in said block element capable of receiving a knife or the like.

4. In a device of the class described, a base portion, a face portion having its side marginal edges secured to said base member forming a semi-circular compartment between said base member and said face portion, a block element in the upper end of said compartment, ridges formed in said face portion and in said base portion for holding said block element in position, a plurality of radially extending slots in said block element capable of receiving a knife or the like, and a fibrous sheet secured to the inner surface of said face portion.

5. In a device of the class described, a base portion, an elongated semi-circular housing having its side marginal edges secured to said base portion, two spaced apart ridges formed on said base portion, a ridge formed on said housing, a 7,

block element designed to have one of its ends between said ridge portions on said base member and to be supported by said ridge on said housing, a cap strip formed on the upper end of said housing for holding said block member rigidly in position and a plurality of radially extending slots cut in said block member each designed to receive a knife.

6. In a device of the class described, a base portion. an elongated semi-circular housing having its side marginal edges secured to said base portion, two spaced apart ridges formed on said base portion, a ridge formed on said housing, a block element designed to have one of its ends between said ridge portions on said base member and to be supported by said ridge on said housing, a cap strip formed on the upper end of said housing for holding said block member rigidly in position and a plurality of radially extending slots cut in said block member each designed to receive a knife, a fibrous sheet member secured to the inside of said housing and notches cut in said bead adjacent the open end of each of said slots for preventing the blade of a knife from touching said housing when said knife is being inserted in one of said slots.

HORNER H. HOPKINS. 

